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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I liked this much better than "Mayor of Casterbridge," a surprisingly insightful Victorian novel.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It's been a solid 10 years since I read this, and although I didn't enjoy it as much as my initial read, it was still an excellent book in being a shocking read for its time. I love reading a book that's been banned or censored in the past and seeing what content made people upset, and this is a really interesting example.
As the oldest sister of her family, it's Tess' responsibility to look after her siblings (and her parents when they get too drunk at the local pub). But when her father finds out their family goes back to an ancient noble family called the D'Ubervilles, the pressure on Tess is about to increase. Sent away to a distant relative, Tess is assaulted by a 'cousin' of hers, and must spend the rest of her life deciding whether to tell people or keep this a big secret.
I'd really forgotten how quickly you descend into the drama in this book. I think within the first 50 pages or so, we see Tess' r*pe by the villain Alex D'Uberville. The next 300 or so pages are very Hardy-esque and were very slow and descriptive, and then the final 100 or so really shocked me and kept me turning the pages. I'd completely forgotten how this ends, and it was a real revelation to see what actually happened towards the book's end. This is of course absolutely one of Hardy's greats, and you can see why it's studied.
As the oldest sister of her family, it's Tess' responsibility to look after her siblings (and her parents when they get too drunk at the local pub). But when her father finds out their family goes back to an ancient noble family called the D'Ubervilles, the pressure on Tess is about to increase. Sent away to a distant relative, Tess is assaulted by a 'cousin' of hers, and must spend the rest of her life deciding whether to tell people or keep this a big secret.
I'd really forgotten how quickly you descend into the drama in this book. I think within the first 50 pages or so, we see Tess' r*pe by the villain Alex D'Uberville. The next 300 or so pages are very Hardy-esque and were very slow and descriptive, and then the final 100 or so really shocked me and kept me turning the pages. I'd completely forgotten how this ends, and it was a real revelation to see what actually happened towards the book's end. This is of course absolutely one of Hardy's greats, and you can see why it's studied.
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed this book thoroughly, but found it at times to be a bit dense for me. The use of rich language kept my interest throughout; the use of of rich language also had me looking up certain chapters to make sure I understood what I was reading. I would rate this book a 3.5/5. While I would not read this book again, I am glad to have finished the novel which has left me with many quotable and memorable passages.